Casablanca, 1943: a viper’s nest of double agents and spies where OSS Officer Kurt Heinz finds his skill in covert operations pushed to the limit. Allied success in North Africa and the fate of the First Allied Conference—perhaps the outcome of the war—hang on Kurt’s next mission. The nature of his work makes relationships impossible. Nonetheless, he is increasingly torn between duty and the beautiful girl who desperately needs his protection and help.

Sarah Barrett, U.S. Army R.N., is finished with wartime romance. Determined to protect her recently broken heart, she throws all of her time and energy into caring for her patients, but when she is given a coded message by a mysterious dying civilian, she is sucked into a vortex of danger and intrigue that threatens her very survival. The one person who can help Sarah is Kurt, a man with too many secrets to be trusted.

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Right from the beginning, the author sets the tone with this piece. Casablanca : Appointment at Dawn. The title aptly describes the anticipation of all the mystique of Casablanca, with the pace revved up due a tight deadline to meet...dawn. Many a duel has been faced at dawn, and this novel makes you fully aware lines have been drawn and destinies will be met.Once again, Pennell weaves her spell of taking you inside the dark passages of war, where under-cover activity is the norm for Kurt Heinz. Heinz handles himself as well as Bogie would have, until he falls for Sarah Barrett, a U.S. Army R.N. Unwittingly allowing Sarah in his life ups the ante outrageously for Heinz as he tries to juggle the goal of his mission, while making sure Sarah escapes alive.If you like history, and writing that gives you that well-turned feeling of Noir, then you're going to love Casablanca. It's about time we had the delight of revisiting this haunting setting, isn't it?

This was a tough review. The fact that I loved much of it, but not all, had me re-reading much of the story to confirm my initial impressions. The author portrayed the setting and time period with such vivid descriptions, I was thrust back into a time of excitement and heartbreak. US Army RN Sarah Barrett is trying to recover from being unceremoniously dumped by her flyboy ex. Bitter is pretty much her middle name right now, and she just wants to concentrate on her work. Given a coded message to deliver to one Kurt Heinz by a dying man, Sarah feels it is her duty to deliver it no matter the consequences. And there are consequences, someone else wants the message. In the beginning, the two are constantly bickering. Rather too much for my liking, it took away from the story for me, and I almost put it down. However, I'm glad I didn't, as I would have missed a great deal of exciting writing. From exotic Casablanca to the African desert, we follow the journey of OSS Officer Kurt Heinz on his difficult mission that might just turn the tide of the war and save Sarah's life. Full of danger, intrigue and adventure, Casablanca certainly was an entertaining story.(Gifted a copy for independent review)

I was drawn to this book because of the era. Ms. Pennell has spies, sacrificing nurses, and all the romance we associate with the time period. I don't want to be a spoiler, so let me just say there were two great twists...one I could sort of see coming and one to surprise. Although, there were a few too many cliches and the hero, although a lover, could've been a bit more tough, the story held together and all the characters were distinctive and interesting. If you love WWII era romance stories, then open this book!

Casablanca (a great read)Pennell grabs the reader by the throat and carries them into the depths of war. Spying, completing a mission successfully above all else, is drummed into OSS Officer Kurt Heinz. He puts his life on the line for his country, the USA. Thirty-eight chapters of nail-biting, tension-filled pages open the world of the African campaign during World War II. Not only does the reader ride along in every venture, and spine-chilling danger, but there is a major question. Can he carry out his game-changing mission and snatch the love of his life from the brink of death? A must read.

The author pulls the reader in early on. I was really captivated with the interesting cast of characters. Pennell brings them to life so much that their personalities stay with you long after you put the book down. They seem that real to you. Readers will feel transported back in time and get the sense of what life during war time was really like. The plot swirls with action, exotic atmosphere, and the endearing sweetness of young love.

I really enjoyed this book, the history and intrigue of World War II are always great back drops for a story. Throw in a nurse bitter from a romance gone bad and a dying patient and a spy who she does not know if she can trust and a fun story emerges. It was a very enjoyable read with action and romance aplenty.